The Thoughts of Marcus Aurelius - College of Stoic Philosophers

AN ESSAY ON FRIENDSHIP 261
consent of a whole people. For as to those famous sages
who are commonly known by the general denomination of
the seven wise men of Greece, it is asserted by the most
accurate inquirers into their history that they cannot
properly be ranked in the class of moral philosophers.
One celebrated Grecian, however, there was, a native of
Athens, whom the oracle of Apollo
declared to be the
wisest of the sons of men, and believe me, Lselius,
it is
the same species of wisdom which this excellent moralist
displayed that all the world is agreed in ascribing to you ;
that wisdom, I mean, by which you hold virtue to be
capable of fortifying the soul against all the various
assaults of human calamities, and are taught to consider
happiness as depending upon yourself alone.
In consequence of this general opinion
I have been
frequently asked (and the same question, I believe, has
no less often, Scsevola, been proposed to you) in what
manner Lselius supports the loss he has lately sustained.
And this inquiry was the rather made, as it was remarked
that you absented yourself from our last monthly meeting
in the gardens of Brutus, the Augur, where you had
always before very regularly assisted.
SG^VOLA. I acknowledge, Lselius, that the question
which Fannius mentions has repeatedly been put to me
by many of my acquaintance, and I have always assured
them that, as far as I could observe, you received the
wound that has been inflicted upon you by the death of
your affectionate and illustrious friend with great com
posure and equanimity. Nevertheless, that it was not
nor indeed consistent with the general humane
possible,
disposition of your nature, not to be affected by it in a
very sensible manner ; however, that it was by no means
grief, but merely indisposition, which prevented you from
being present at the last meeting of our assembly.
LSELIUS. Your answer, Scaevola, was perfectly agree
able to the fact. Ill, certainly, would it become me, on